With the Chicago Marathon concluding and tens of thousands Chicagoans, including Lincoln Park residents, and visitors alike taking in the weekend for the great race it has become, thousands of spectators traveled to cheer friends and family who completed such a grueling race.  As now fall is here with the leaves changing colors, Halloween so close, and the holidays coming, companies and Chicagoans, including Lincoln Park Parkers, working hard as they get closer to the end of the year.  From sitting for long periods working long days, lower back issues can arise from poor posture.  The compression can lead to back trouble, including a trapped nerve in one’s lower back.  Trapped nerves in the lower back can cause a great deal of pain, including loss of function when performing one’s daily activities.

Trapped nerve most often occur in the lower back at the 2 lowest levels, L4 and/or L5.  These 2 areas absorb the most compression as they serve to create the most stability for the lower back.  Trapped nerves can occur from either 1 of 2 options: a herniated disc or spinal degeneration (AKA wear-and-tear).  These 2 scenarios often occur from overuse involving your lower back or trauma.  In either case, the pain one experiences can limit one’s ability to work, move, and exercise.

To determine if one has a trapped nerve in their lower back, you should know a few symptoms that arise alongside a trapped nerve.  These symptoms include, but are not limited to: burning, achy, tingling, numbness, pins-and-needles, and shooting pain to one’s buttock, tailbone, leg, calf, and/or foot.  If the pain becomes sharp or greatly begins to affect one’s life, contacting a chiropractor can help you to learn whether a trapped nerve is the source/root cause of your pain.  Also, one should know sitting for long periods can really irritate a trapped nerve, including bending forward, and/or twisting.  A thorough consultation with a chiropractor will allow you to give him/her as much information about your injury so that a proper treatment plan.

X-rays may be taken at the chiropractor’s office at your initial visit to learn of more information.  Although trapped nerves cannot be seen on X-rays (as they are soft tissues), other information from your lower back X-rays can lead to the diagnosis of your trapped nerve including less space where the disc sits between your spinal vertebrae, or increased bone growing where the nerve comes out of the spine are indicators you have a trapped nerve. Other findings found by the chiropractor can be correlated with your findings from your consultation to arrive at the correct answer and to provide the proper treatment to help you heal.  MRI is the best test for finding a trapped nerve as they provide the greatest level of detail for the following soft tissues (muscles, ligaments, spinal cord, nerves, and discs) despite the expensive cost vs X-rays (which are cheaper).

Because trapped nerves are quite complex to determine , it is important to communicate your symptoms, and provide as much information to the chiropractor, to begin to learn how to heal your injury.  Even if you are sure if you have a trapped nerve, asking the right questions will give you the tools to get closer to reducing your pain and function to get you back on the road to recovery!